Game Of Thrones star: ‘I was scared to reveal my pregnancy’

Game Of Thrones star Gemma Whelan told Sky News that, while filming for The Crown, she kept quiet about being pregnant.

Speaking to Sky News at the Women In Film & TV Awards, Whelan said that being a woman impacted her aproach to certain jobs.

“I was five months pregnant when I was doing [The Crown] and I didn’t tell them because I was too scared,” Whelan said.

“See this is the thing, of women in film and TV, I was too scared to tell them at the time I was pregnant in case I lost the job, and of course when I did tell them they were so celebratory,” she added.

Whelan had her breakthrough role as Yara Greyjoy in the Sky Atlantic show, and will appear in the second season of The Crown.

“I think women are quite fearful of ‘if I have a baby it’s going to change my career or it won’t fit in anymore’, and actually if you’re just really proud of it and say ‘I’m pregnant or I’ve got a baby can we make her part of this’ people are so willing,” she told Sky.

“And I think particularly now in the light of what’s happened recently with Harvey Weinstein, it’s all serving to make women more empowered in every aspect of the way that we work in this industry.”

Sandi Toksvig, who was hosting the ceremony, said she believes she’s already seen change since news about Harvey Weinstein started dominating the headlines.

“I think there’s a bit more caution which is probably a good thing, I hope it’s a permanent change,” The Great British Bake Off presenter said.

“There were a few bad apples, we mustn’t tar all the men with the same brush – there’s a lot of good guys as well.

“But certainly people are being a little bit more careful and I think that’s not a bad thing.”

Living The Dream actress Lesley Sharp agreed that good was going to come from the revelations.

“The specifics need to be dealt with but on a wider, more general note, if we can find a way of our equality making the world a better place for men and women then that would be amazing,” she said.

Celia Imrie, star of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel who was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony, said she’s noticed change during her career.

“I think women aren’t keeping in the background anymore, women are really rolling up their sleeves and getting on with it,” she told Sky News.

“When you see a woman behind the camera and the focus puller is a woman and everything, that’s changing and that’s thrilling actually,” she added.

“Generally speaking you look round a room and the crew is mostly men, but the more women are involved – women directors and everything else – it’s great, marvellous.”